‘I do not look back on the Church of England with bitterness’

LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 15: Keith Newton, former bishop of Richborough enters Westminster Cathedral in Central London to be ordained as Roman Catholic priests on January 15, 2011 in London, England. The three Anglican bishops are making the move in direct opposition to action by the Church of England to legislate in favour of the consecration of women bishops. This will see the inauguration of a special section of the Roman Catholic Church created by Pope Benedict XVI, called the Ordinate, which will welcome married priests and maintain some Anglican practices. It has been estimated that the Church of England could see up to 50 traditionalist Anglican clergy and around 600 worshippers converting to Catholicism as a Vatican scheme for disaffected Anglicans begins. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

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LONDON, ENGLAND – JANUARY 15: Keith Newton, former bishop of Richborough enters Westminster Cathedral in Central London to be ordained as Roman Catholic priests on January 15, 2011 in London, England. The three Anglican bishops are making the move in direct opposition to action by the Church of England to legislate in favour of the consecration of women bishops. This will see the inauguration of a special section of the Roman Catholic Church created by Pope Benedict XVI, called the Ordinate, which will welcome married priests and maintain some Anglican practices. It has been estimated that the Church of England could see up to 50 traditionalist Anglican clergy and around 600 worshippers converting to Catholicism as a Vatican scheme for disaffected Anglicans begins. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)Dan Kitwood

Ruth Gledhill, religion correspondent

Published at 5:40PM, January 17 2011

Former Anglican Bishop who is now a Catholic priest says he is “humbled” the Pope chose him to be Ordinary of the new Ordinariate

A married former Anglican bishop with children and a grandchild is to sit
alongside Roman Catholic bishops at their conference and have equal and
unprecedented status with full voting rights.

The only thing that Father Keith Newton, Ordinary of the new Anglican
Ordinariate, will not be able to do as a Roman Catholic priest is ordain
other priests.

Father Newton, former Bishop of Richborough spoke for the first time about his
conversion to Catholicism and ordination as a Catholic priest at a press
conference in Westminster, London.

The conference took place at exactly the same time as the twice-yearly Church